


Game On

by GaeilgeRua



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Childhood game with a twist, F/M, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Hogwarts Inter-House Relationships, Mild Language, Not Epilogue Compliant, Post-Battle of Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2019-11-15 23:14:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18082802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaeilgeRua/pseuds/GaeilgeRua
Summary: A children’s game plus a magical spell equals outcomes no one saw coming. Or did they?





	Game On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MykEsprit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MykEsprit/gifts).



> Thank you so much to MykEsprit for not only the prompt but for putting this fest together. It’s been fun to participate in. I also want to thank my Alpha/beta, Meiri, for her hard work. Any errors after she read through it are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: Harry Potter characters are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is being made from this creation.

It had all started out innocently enough on their first night back at Hogwarts after the war with Voldemort was finally over. As the opening feast was winding down, Headmistress McGonagall asked the returning eighth-year students to remain behind while the other students left for their house common rooms.

Once they’d arrived in their new common room, the headmistress had explained everything to them, including that they were to wear plain black robes and ties (Quidditch being the exception if they made it onto their house team) and a stipulation she wanted from every single returning eight-year student.

“I want you to come up with some kind of project you can _all_ participate in together throughout the year,” she had explained. “It can be a weekly meeting to talk about how things are going, a book club, board games once a week, or even studying together. But whatever you come up with, I want you ALL,” here she took the time to look at every single returning student, paying particular attention to Draco, Harry, and Ron, “to work together. The war is over, and it is time to move on. Together.”

After the headmistress left, many suggestions were thrown out to the group, including the book club suggestion that was made by Terry Boot. But it was Dean Thomas’ suggestion that piqued the interest of most of the group.

“What about a good old fashioned game of tag?” All eyes had turned to face the Muggleborn. “Think about it. It’s something we can play all year long and if after the first month or so we want to make changes to it then we can.”

“Changes? What do you mean changes?” Lavender questioned.

Dean shrugged. “We can change to something else entirely if we want, or we could make things more interesting.”

“Get to the point, Thomas,” Daphne sighed as she sat down on one of the many couches that were placed throughout the room.

Many of the other eighth years followed her as their discussion continued.

“Well, we could add some kind of magical aspect such as the person who is “it” glows?” Dean suggested. “Or something like that.”

“That could be entertaining to see everyone else steer clear of them,” Parvati added.

“Yes, that would be entertaining,” Draco said, and this is where the innocence of McGonagall’s suggestion started morphing, “but why don’t we make things really interesting and have whoever is "it" charmed to seek the person they're most attracted to?”

“And what happens if whoever is “it” is most attracted to someone outside the game?” Hermione countered with a raised eyebrow.

“Afraid no one here likes you, Granger?”

Hermione scoffed.

“Hermione has a point though,” Ernie Macmillan said. “What happens when whoever is “it” is most attracted to someone outside of all of us?”

“Then it should be up to that person to explain what’s going on if they choose to do so,” Padma Patil suggested.

Hannah Abbott looked around with a slight blush on her cheeks. “What if I don’t want who I like to be broadcast to the whole school?”

“Once you tag who you like, you don’t have to tell anyone who it is,” Padma said. “I would suggest talking with them though. Also, we need to figure out how to determine who our next “it” person is.”

“What about whoever was “it” draws the next person’s name out of a bag?”

Pansy shook her head. “No, that wouldn’t work well, Potter. We’d have to go through every time and pull out the names of people that are out.” She paused for a moment as she thought about what she wanted to say next. “What about a version of spin the bottle? Whoever is left in a circle and the last person that was “it” spins for the next person?”

Nods went around the room as Dean said, “That could work.”

“We’ll have to write down the rules, and all agree to them, but I agree that this will work,” Anthony Goldstein added. He chuckled, “We just need a spell to do that. Anyone want to help figure it out?”

* * *

After that first night, things were set in motion. The game was officially on, and the hunt for a spell was underway. The small group researching possible charms quickly learned that no such charm existed. Once they came to that realisation, Padma took it upon herself to bring up their search to Professor Flitwick in the N.E.W.T. level Charms class many of the eighth-year students shared. With their professor’s help and guidance, by the end of the fall term, the students were able to create a charm they could use with their game.

Once the spell was created, the group decided to wait until they returned from their Winter Holidays to initiate magical aspect of the game. After everyone returned and the magical version of tag began, all bets were off.

* * *

One night in late February, Hermione and Ron had watched with bemused expressions on their faces as their other best friend quietly tagged Padma Patil on the shoulder as she studied with a couple of other students in the common room.

“Guess I went to the Yule Ball with the wrong Patil sister,” Harry had said, scratching the back of his head.

“I guess so,” Padma agreed with a grin before taking pity on their best friend and kissing his cheek.

* * *

Mid-March saw a shocked Hannah Abbott staring wide-eyed as her secret crush tagged her on her way to dinner after classes one evening.

“Wait. You like me too?” Hannah questioned.

“Yeah.” Neville grinned sheepishly. “I’m glad it wasn’t just me.”

Hannah smiled. “Me too.”

* * *

April was when the game took two unexpected turns.

The first was when many of the eighth-year girls were sitting in the common room discussing their plans for after the school year and Pansy looked up just in time to see Ron Weasley moving hesitantly in her direction.

“Oh no you don’t, Weasley,” Pansy called out as she jumped up from her seat.

A dark red blush spread up his neck and over his face as he stuttered out an apology before taking a deep breath and channelling his Gryffindor courage. “Pansy, it’s okay if you don’t feel the same way. Can I just tag you so we can move on?”

After a pregnant pause, Pansy huffed and held out her hand. “Fine. Hurry up and get it over with.”

Little did everyone know that only a few days later, Pansy would find herself in a similar situation with the same redheaded wizard.

As Pansy reluctantly tagged Ron, Harry turned to Hermione. “I did not see that coming.”

Hermione shook her head in response. “I didn’t expect it either.”

The second twist their game saw came on the very last day of April as Hermione was leaving her last class of the week, Arithmancy. She had packed her bag and was making her way towards the back of the classroom when a hand shot out and grasped her wrist.

“Fuck.”

Her dark brown eyes darted down to the fingers wrapped around her wrist before following the line of the other person’s arm to see who was at the other end. Her eyes widened for a split second before narrowing. “It would seem that someone in the group _does_ like me.”

A blush to rival Ron’s darkened Draco’s cheeks. “It’s not like it’s something I can advertise, can I?”

Hermione cocked her head to the side. “Why not?”

“Because there is no way in the world you feel the same way about me,” Draco replied as he loosened his grip on her hand before the warmth of his hand disappeared completely. “I tormented you for years, and you nearly died in my parents’ home.”

“People change, Draco,” Hermione countered. “Plus, we wouldn’t be in this situation if I didn’t like you in return.”

“What?” Draco’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“The two of us should probably talk things through between us, but…” Hermione trailed off as she grinned sheepishly, “remember how I was part of the group that helped create the charm?” At Draco’s nod, she continued, “We didn’t tell anyone else, but a — I guess you could call it an unexpected benefit of the spell — is that the person that was “it” was charmed to not only seek the person they're most attracted to. But the person they tagged had to have some level of attraction in return.”

“So you all took a children’s game and turned it into a matchmaking service?”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Isn’t that what you suggested in the first place?”

Draco opened his mouth to reply but realised that the Muggleborn witch was right.

“She’s got you there, mate,” Theo snickered alerting the two to his presence. He stood up from his seat next to Draco. “I’ll leave you two to discuss whatever you two need to figure out.”

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “You better watch it, Theo, you might be the next person. After all, there are only a few of us left.”

Right before he reached the doorway, Theo turned and grinned at her. “Oh, I’m not worried at all about my turn. I know exactly who will be on the other end.”

Hermione arched an eyebrow. “Blaise perhaps?” She grinned smugly as Theo laughed.

“You better watch out, mate, you’ve got one smart witch on your hands there.”

Without looking at Theo, Draco stood up to tower over Hermione. A smile spread across his face as he reached out to cup her cheek. “Don’t I know it.”

“And what are you going to do about it?” Hermione questioned.

“This,” Draco whispered as he ducked down to press his lips against hers.

As Hermione returned his kiss, the couple missed Theo’s exit from the room and his muttered, “Thank Salazar. It’s about damn time.”


End file.
